Carter selection was logical, says Racing coach

Racing 92 coach Laurent Labit insists it was a logical decision to select Dan Carter for Saturday's European Champions Cup final defeat to Saracens, despite the superstar fly-half failing to make an impact as he battled a calf problem.

Carter was some way short of his brilliant best in the first half at Grand Stade de Lyon and duly left the field three minutes after the interval, having aggravated an injury that had limited his participation in training ahead of the match.

Racing slumped to a 21-9 defeat as Carter's opposite number, Owen Farrell, finished with a perfect record of seven penalties from as many attempts.

Asked whether it had been a risk to select his marquee number 10, Labit said: "Playing Dan Carter was not a gamble, it was logical.

"He is a highly experienced player - used to this kind of match - and, even though he was not 100 per cent, his presence was important for us.

"We thought that for 40 or 50 minutes, he would be able to give us the right tempo.

"We made a choice, but collectively we weren't up to the challenge.

"It is the same injury to the calf [for Carter]. We hope it has not worsened."